


It's not fashion friends until friendship is a thing.

by Demon_Cookie101



Series: A side of Amporafam, hold the sauce [5]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:20:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22023979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demon_Cookie101/pseuds/Demon_Cookie101
Summary: Awkward conversations are only legal when done in a bookshop cafe and with at least three moments of 'ah shit'. Rule put in place by Eridan and he damn well will enforce it on himself.
Series: A side of Amporafam, hold the sauce [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1005753
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51





	It's not fashion friends until friendship is a thing.

**Author's Note:**

> I said I'd write this when I could write a character that wasn't an Ampora but y'know what. 'Tis was a lie.

GA: I Am In Unfortunate Need Of Your Assistance

CA: yikes

GA: Yikes Indeed

***

You pick the book cafe again because it’s safe and warm and has good tea.

You’re not afraid of meeting Kanaya. You just don’t want this to go bad. You don’t want to leave the café afterwards feeling terrible because your one chance to make this right blew up in your face.

Again.

Kanaya’s not Karkat though. Her issue with you is valid, even if a part of you wishes she just got over it already. Or even if it were about you killing her, because that you can deal with better.

It’s hard. It’s all so hard and you’re so _tired_.

You message her to ask whether she wants you to get her a drink while you’re waiting but you don’t expect a reply. You just go to your spot, order the same tea you always get and settle in to wait and not freak out.

You’re getting better at that. Sol calls it you going back to normal. Dual just calls it you growing into yourself.

The bell over the door chimes, but the greenie, Pollie, is bringing over your drink so you’re a bit more preoccupied with paying attention to thanking her and taking the mug. Kan takes a seat opposite you, and even you can tell she’s putting on a front.

You just take a sip of your tea while she places an order with Pollie.

“You come here regularly then?”

“Yeah. The tea is good, and as long as I keep orderin’ it I can sit here and read for as long as I want.” You shrug, placing the mug down on the saucer with more care than you probably need to. “The people and trolls who work here are nice.”

She looks a little surprised at that, but you just shrug again. They are. It’s comforting sometimes.

“What do you need my help with? I can’t say I can imagine me bein’ your first choice for anythin’ right now. Except maybe to die.” The mug is warm, but you miss the flinch she gives at your words. The quiet descends and you wonder whether that maybe was the wrong thing to say.

Just because you’re going outside more doesn’t mean you’re any better at talking. You still stuff up.

“I don’t want you to die.” She’s quiet. Pollie drops off her tea and heads away again. “I’m just… It’s still hard.”

“I know. I don’t blame you.” Not always, anyway. “I’d just like it if you stopped makin’ me seem worse.”

You don’t look up. You’re half expecting her to leave. Dumbass why did you say that? Why do you even open your mouth, you’re shit at talking. She’s going to leave, she’s going to tell everyone you were being an ass again, and then it’s back to square one. Idiot.

Idiot.

Kan shifts in her seat and clears her throat softly.

“Rose calls it white elephant, Dave calls it secret Santa, honestly I’m just calling it a befuddling human custom.”

That startles you into looking up, quickly. She’s looking down at her tea as well, playing with the handle. You sip at your tea, because what. “What?”

“The thing everyone’s doing? To get everyone to socialise and some festivity thing, I’m not too sure. The basic premise is drawing a name at random and giving them something, or in our case, having a person assigned to you and procuring a gift for them before a set date at which everyone will meet up for a fun gathering and gift-giving.”

“This was Fef’s idea, huh.”

“Yes, actually. How did you know?”

“I got a message from her the other day, which is weird because she knew we were docked and she normally just comes onboard. I didn’t get what she was on about because it was very brief.”

Kanaya studies you over her tea. “Feferi is the recipient of my gift, and she’s dropped hints here and there of what she’d like.”

“Because she’s as subtle as a brick through a window.” You roll your eyes a little, still thinking on that message. Feferi’s Kanaya’s recipient. Kanaya’s yours. You’re certain now that this is fuckin’ deliberate.

“She wants a garment, and you’re the only one who really knows her well enough to be able to explain any of the fabric names she’s given me, and what she would wear.”

“You know she’s done this deliberately, right?”

“Of course. Thought I’d humour her.”

“It does make it easier to go about the general day to day when there isn’t a mopin’ Fef Peixes in the corner of your view.” You rub a hand over your face, dislodging your glasses and having to sit up more to readjust them properly. “So what do you need help with specifically? Has she given you garment names, fabric names, or designers?”

While neither of you were really old enough to go to any of the fancy highblood shindigs, you used to pour over the magazines and style catalogues that came out with every new season. You learnt a lot (what? It was interesting, and some of the clothes were gorgeous and you bought them just to feel the fabric on your skin), and Feferi always liked the colours and some of the swishier fabrics.

The information did sort of help you, because knowing what kind of fabrics will irritate gills and which won’t, decided a lot of your wardrobe. It had to be comfy, it had to be practical, and it had to not fuck with your respiratory system.

“She mentioned some fabrics I’ve never heard of, and admittedly my knowledge is whatever I could get my hands on. My ancestor has been of some help but I’m still not fully sure. The style of dress is up to me, but without knowing how the fabrics react or feel or even look, it’s difficult to start. She mentioned sea silks and princess lace satin and this other completely unrepeatable thing that I assume is some kind of seadweller fabric?”

She looks a little lost, and it’s kinda funny. Like she wants to be annoyed, but she’s too many feet behind to even know what to be annoyed at.

“Okay. Well sea silks is shit for garments, only really use it for decorative because it can be really fragile and only made by a rare few really. Princess lace satin is a good substitute there, but it will really depend on the kind of garment you’re makin’. Don’t even bother with seafolk names for things because the fabric is really only good for underwater use and looks horrible on dry land.” You fiddle with one of your rings, twisting the gem a few times until it clicks. “The main thing you’re gonna have to focus on is whether the fabric will irritate gills or not. That’s a big factor because in some cases it can lead to inflammation and then it’s just not fun at all.”

She’s making notes. She actually has a notebook and a pen. Holy fuck.

“Uh. And, Fef doesn’t really like fabric over her gills anyway, unless that’s changed, but if you have somethin’ that’s loose and flowin’ you could cover them? You’ll have to figure somethin’ out that’ll go with her body shape, and Fef suits bared shoulders so maybe that could work when you’re focusin’ on the line of the clothin’. Are you goin’ for a dress?”

She shrugs a little, tapping her lip with the pen. “I was considering going in that direction. It would be easiest to detail, but for casual wear she does seem to prefer two piece attire.”

You run your thumb over the divot in the wood on the table. “Are you considerin’ doin’ accessories as well?”

“Of course. It’d be a complete outfit, and if I couldn’t find accessories that would suit, I planned on giving her recommendations.”

This party gift-giving thing is supposed to be a surprise, but Kan’s your recipient.

And you have something that might actually help her?

“Alright.” You fiddle with your mug. “Okay so uh. Fef definitely set all of this up deliberately. Super deliberately. You’re supposed to be the one I have to get somethin’ for?”

Kanaya sighs, closes her eyes and rests her face in her hand.

“Yeah. Yeah I know.” You continue on in a bit of a rush. “So, surprise, but also sorry, but the only reason I’m tellin’ you is that I do have somethin’ that could help you with Fef’s gift, and I ain’t even sure if we’re gonna be on the mainland for this thing so may as well give it to you now, right?”

She doesn’t lift her hand for a few minutes, which is a little stressful on your half, not gonna lie.

“So, I’m going to throttle her.” She shakes her head and finishes her tea.

“Honestly, same. Get in line.” Kanaya smiles a little at you, which you take as a good sign. You fiddle with the ring a little more and a captchacard pops out on the table between you both.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a portable alchemiter would you?” She raises her brow at you, shaking her head. “Shit. Ah well, give me a second. Pollie has one because apparently it’s hipster-y.” You get up and take the card over to the counter to ask. You know it’s only on display, but you’re sort of hoping that it still works.

It takes twenty minutes, but you return to the table with a heavy book in your hands. It’s got papers sticking out from it and sticky notes, and you set it down in front of Kan before retaking your seat. You watch as she slowly opens it, like she expects it to be something dramatic and dangerous. Maybe it is, it is yours after all. You were pretty glad that it was still the top card, the rest are all weapon care instructions and very old hunting logs.

Inside is full of different kinds of fabrics and the punch codes necessary to create replicas. There’s also patterns and notes, ripped from magazines and written in your own slanted handwriting, on styles and designers and anything you could get your hands on that you thought would be good to note down. You wanted to learn as much as you could, before reality got in the way of that. Orphaners don’t have time for galas.

At least, not when you were the Orphaner. Dual made it sound like he went to a lot of them.

“It’s uhm…” You cough, because she looks kinda blank. “It’s a collection of fabric types and how best to use them and stuff like that. Most, if not all, are suitable for wear underwater as well as above, and it should all state which is irritable for gills durin' prolonged use and which aren’t. I… can’t remember whether the dryin’ times for the fabrics are also listed or not, but it probably won’t take long to make testers and test it out for yourself. Saltwater and freshwater have different dryin’ times though, so you’ll have to remember that.”

Kanaya’s still flipping through the book, running her fingers over fabrics that you cut and sewed into the pages.

“I know it’s probably not the best of gifts, and it’s second-hand because it’s mine, or was mine, but you’ll get far more use out of it than I will and then at least you’ll be able to make Fef’s garment without wantin’ to stab anyone with needles?”

“Thank you.” Her words interrupt your rambling, which is great. Because really, what were you thinking? Who wants a book of your stupid handwriting and old fabrics that probably don’t even exist in this world? Or that anyone would wear? Are fancy parties still a thing?

(Can you go if they are?)

“Really. This kind of cataloguing is very meticulous. It’s so neatly done as well, and instructively clear. This is actually really helpful.” She looks up at you again. “To be honest, I had my reservations about asking you for help. I figured you’d either refuse to help me, or be such a hindrance that it would have been a waste of my time. This… this is the complete opposite.”

“Hey, all I’m doin’ is givin’ you your gift early. It just so happens that it’s helpful to you. Two birds one stone, Kan.”

She smiles a little at you, and you know, just like you did with Feferi when you had that talk with her, that it is a very long road back to anything close to friendship or even casual acquaintance.

But you’re on the road now. And it’s just one foot in front of the other and remembering to talk before it gets too bad again.

And that’s okay.


End file.
